Danbury

A small section of Danbury, Germantown is a mix of residential and commercial buildings just off the interstate. Here, quiet Cape Cods and bungalows are a short walk away from various schools, ranging from the local middle school to the campus of Western Connecticut State University. Residents are also a short walk from one of the larger employers in the area, Bradbury Hospital, and the numerous popular eateries surrounding the neighborhood. While it is a short drive to reach the excitement of the city center or local parks, locals enjoy a quiet and serene environment that combines the best of urban and suburban amenities. “Everything is very close by,” says Alessandra Casiello, the innovation and sustainability librarian at the Danbury Library who has lived in the area for over four years. “It is only a 20-minute drive to get from one end of the city to the other.” Much like the rest of Danbury, Germantown offers plenty of options to get around quickly and easily. Interstate 84 lines the neighborhood's northern end and provides commuters with an easy route to the greater Danbury area. The Danbury commuter rail station is also near the neighborhood and offers an alternative to driving to local cities like Norwalk or a bit farther into Manhattan. For trips unreachable by car or train, the Westchester County Airport is 35 miles southwest of the neighborhood. Medical care is within walking distance of Germantown, as the Danbury Hospital takes up a large portion of the western end of the neighborhood. For a night out, many locals head to Atlantic, a family-owned Portuguese restaurant in the neighborhood that “specializes in steak and fish,” Casiello says. The restaurant offers karaoke on Friday nights and “many people go there for anniversaries because of its specialized options.” Sweet treats are also easily accessible, with community staples like IL Bacio Ice Cream being a short walk away. The shop is also family-owned and has been serving the community for over 20 years. One feature that makes it an icon in the city is the “walls of photographs of Danburg residents eating ice cream,” Casiello says. Many locals choose to stock up their own kitchens at the nearby CTown Supermarkets, but there are also plenty of big-box stores like Walmart, 2 miles to the east at the expansive Berkshire Shopping Center. Germantown residents are just a quick drive from popular parks in the Danbury area. To the north, Candlewood Park rests along the shores of Lower Pine Cove and offers a beach, two playsets and a sand volleyball court popular in the warmer months of the year. “Lots of city events happen here,” Casiello says. “There are outdoor movie nights in the fall.” Locals can also head south to Rogers Park, home to a number of sports fields often used by athletes of all ages in the spring and summer that are “frequented by ice cream trucks,” Casiello says. In Germantown, homebuyers generally find modest Cape Cods with concrete walkups alongside tidy bungalows and ranch-style homes. Lawns tend to be smaller and well-kept in Germantown, with many homes also having garages on the side for extra storage space. Prices in the area typically range from $380,000 to $700,000, with the more expensive homes in the area being closer to Western Connecticut State University. Although the residential streets do not have sidewalks, the quiet atmosphere of the neighborhood allows residents to still take a calm stroll in the morning and evening. Students begin their academic journey at Hayestown Avenue School, which earns a C rating on Niche. Broadview Middle School is in the heart of the neighborhood, receives a C rating and serves grades 6-8. Students can earn their diplomas from Danbury High School, which has a B-minus rating on Niche and has served the Danbury community since 1927. For higher education, locals are also close to Western Connecticut State University, which is particularly well-known for its fine arts and professional courses. Residents of Germantown are just a quick trip from the excitement in the heart of Danbury. Locals can relax on the greenery of the city center at Downtown Chow-Down, a “weekly food truck and concert event in the spring and summer,” Casiello says. Locals can also stop by and enjoy the Danbury Street Festival, a pedestrian-only event each June that is “full of vendors and food trucks that line the street,” Casiello says. For year-round education and fun, the Danbury Railway Museum is open by the city center on weekends. It offers a restored train station full of artifacts and a rail yard with over 60 pieces of historic railroad equipment.

A vibrant cultural center, Downtown Danbury is a historic district with various local shops, restaurants and art venues. "Downtown Danbury is a melting pot," says Arnold Finaldi, chairman of the Danbury Planning Commission. Area residents can enjoy access to community events, several recreational facilities and green spaces, as well as abundant cultural performances like concerts, film screenings, comedy and live shows. Perhaps most importantly, Downtown Danbury is within reasonably close vicinity of New York City. “Danbury is attracting lots of New York homebuyers for its proximity and easy commute to New York. This is a growing and diverse city, and Downtown Danbury now has more upscale housing, shops and business offices,” says Marie Borner, a local Realtor at Coldwell Banker Realty with 29 years of experience. While there are several modern apartment and townhouse communities available for rent in Downtown Danbury, most properties around or on Main Street are a mix of retail storefronts with residential flats on the upper floors that range from $350,000 to over $1 million. Homes that are a bit removed from the commercial center are usually priced between $350,000 and $700,000, and feature shingle-style houses with wrapped porches, Foursquares, split levels, Colonial Revivals, Queen Annes and occasional Cape Cods. “More people can work remotely now and the taxes here are considerably much lower than in the city. The demand for housing in Danbury is high but stock is very limited, and there is almost no inventory,” Borner says. Many mom-and-pop stores and restaurants are located along Main Street, including the area fixture Mothership on Main, a café with a focus on natural ingredients and organic coffee brews. Holiday Diner is another popular breakfast spot with milkshakes and classic omelets. Local businesses and service shops are also abundant in the area, alongside arts and cultural centers, including the Danbury Museum and Historical Society and the Danbury Library. Additionally, there are plenty of grocery stores and retailers within and around the neighborhood, including Aldi, Walmart and Price Rite Marketplace. Downtown Danbury has many seasonal and holiday festivals, including a costume parade for Halloween and winter decoration celebrations. The Danbury Street Festival takes place in June with artisans and food vendors and cultural performances, and locals can show off their dance moves at Dancing Under the Stars, which is a popular summertime outdoor dance party for the public. Catch an arts performance at Danbury Music Center or at The Palace Danbury, and museum lovers can explore the Danbury Railway Museum. Residents may take the Housatonic Area Regional Transit (HARTransit) to navigate into the Greater Danbury Region. Commuters can take the Metro-North Railroad at Danbury station for commuting into New York City. Those who drive can expect about a 70-mile trip via Interstate 684 and Interstate 87 to access the metropolis, and 35 miles to Westchester County Airport. Danbury Hospital is located within 1 mile of Downtown Danbury. Danbury City Center Green is home to various community events, including the farmers market and Summer in the City Concert Series. Residents may go ice skating at the Danbury Ice Arena, catch a breath of fresh air at Kenndy Park or Elmwood Park and take a walk along Still River. Nearby, the 56-acre Rogers Park provides a more comprehensive recreation experience with athletic and turf fields, ball courts and a pond with nature trails. Those looking for more private facilities may explore the Ridgewood Country Club, which is complete with a golf course, tennis courts, a pool and family activities and events. Prospective primary centers include Park Avenue School and South Street School with a C and C-plus Niche score respectively. Rogers Park Middle School scores a C with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1. Danbury High School rates a B-minus and offers career academy programs in art, design, medicine and technology. Western Connecticut State University and Naugatuck Valley Community College both have campuses in Downtown Danbury.